There are several three-dimensional display techniques known in the art. These techniques include: the “lenticular” technique, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,945,407, 4,214,257, and 4,132,468; the “parallax barrier” technique, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,046,849, 6,055,013, 5,264,964, and 4,717,949; integral imaging, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,046,849, 6,055,013, 5,264,964, and 4,717,949; and holographic display. However, these existing technologies have serious problems that have not been solved and these existing technologies are not likely to be applied to broadcasting systems in the near future.
Three-dimensional television broadcasting systems using existing three-dimensional display devices demand new three-dimensional television broadcasting methods and systems. New methods and systems are necessary because the image acquisition, data format, and/or the display device for the three-dimensional broadcasting of existing three-dimensional display arts are systematically different from those of commercial two-dimensional television broadcasting standards and systems. In that regard, the data signal for three-dimensional television broadcasting should be released separately from the data signal for two-dimensional commercial television broadcasting. Further, existing three-dimensional television broadcasting systems induce a big increase in image data and/or degradation in the image quality and resolution, due to their primitively existing disadvantages and complexity.
There is, therefore, a practical need for a commercial three-dimensional television broadcasting system which can meet the requirements related to 2D/3D compatibility or exchangeability, and practicality. Further, this system should not require a significant increase in data amount, and the color expression and resolution should equal existing commercial two-dimensional television broadcasting standards and systems.